Chinese food is very popular worldwide; the presence of Chinese restaurants is now a feature in countries. The US is a country with a large number of Chinese immigrants, so understandably, there are many famous Chinese dishes here.
Each dish on this list has a delicious taste and is popular in many cities across the United States. Before trying it, let’s learn about these dishes!
1. Wonton
Wonton is the name of Guangdong. However, it is known as a typical Cantonese and Guangxi dish. Wonton has a standard size to fit in the mouth, neither big nor small. When serving, there are about 8 in a bowl.
The name of this dish means “messy.” That’s because when people make this, they don’t pack it properly. As a result, we have pieces of wonton that look rather messy.
2. Chinese Meat Dumplings
Dumplings stuffed with pork are a dish made from a dough shell and a large meat filling. It is a food that originated from the ancient Jiaozi and was first invented by Zhang Zhongjing.
Dumplings are one of the traditional Chinese specialties and are the favorite dishes of many people. The Chinese have a traditional custom of eating dumplings on New Year’s Eve.
3. Sweet and Sour Pork
Sweet and sour pork is one of the classic traditional Chinese dishes. The main ingredient of this dish is pork loin, served with flour, starch, vinegar, ketchup, and other spices.
This dish is available in Henan Zhejiang, Shandong, Sichuan, Huaiyang, Cantonese, and Hokkien cuisines.
It is the top classic dish in Shandong and on the menu of most Chinese restaurants across the United States.
4. Kung Pao Chicken
Americans consider this to be perhaps one of the most famous Asian dishes in the world. Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine is conquering cities in many countries thanks to this dish.
This is a simple dish in Chinese restaurants in the US. It’s much more monotonous than Sichuan’s Kung Pao Chicken.
It is fried with chicken, peanuts, radish, chili, garlic, and pepper. This dish is the top choice of many Americans who like spicy food but don’t like Mexican food.
5. Ma Po Tofu
Ma Po tofu is one of the Sichuan cuisines. The numbness comes from the pepper, and the spicy taste of chili noodles brings an unforgettable taste.
This dish is spicy, fresh, fragrant, hot, crispy, and soft, fully expressing the characteristics of Sichuan cuisine.
Now, this dish has crossed the ocean and settled in many countries, including the United States. From the street to an opulent hall, it has become an international dish.
6. Char Siu
Char siu is a famous traditional dish in Guangdong province, belonging to Cantonese cuisine. To make it, people hang marinated lean pork on a special fork and put it in the oven.
Delicious char siu must be soft, bright in color, and fragrant. It is best to have a balance between fat and lean.
Other ingredients include soy sauce, minced garlic, malt sugar, men’s milk, five-spice powder, alcohol, etc. This combination makes it a famous dish around the world. In the US, many Chinese restaurants add this dish to their menus.
7. Chop Suey
Chop Suey is one of the earliest Chinese dishes to appear in America. American immigrants invented this dish in the United States.
By the 1920s, it was as much a part of the American diet as ham and eggs, coffee cookies, and Sunday stews. Chop Suey restaurants have also stepped out of Chinatown, becoming increasingly Americanized.
Chop Suey includes meat, eggs, and vegetables such as bean sprouts, celery, and cabbage. It usually comes with rice but can also be with vermicelli.
8. Foo Young Eggs
Foo Young Eggs is an American-Chinese dish based on a classic Shanghai dish called “Fuyong Egg Slices.” It is like one of the first omelets, invented long before the French invented the term.
Foo Young means lotus, and the original dish usually consisted of egg whites mixed with ham or minced chicken, pan-fried or fried.
This dish was probably first made in the 1940s or early 1950s. The name of the original inventor is now lost, but the dish has developed at any restaurant that serves this Cantonese cuisine.
9. Sesame Chicken
With this dish, Panda Express, the largest Chinese food chain in the US, can sell four pieces per American in a year, almost catching up with chicken.
Fried fritters sold by KFC in the United States Quantity (5.5 yuan per person).
This dish is an improvement of the Hunan mandarin Sesame Chicken, but it is different in taste and preparation.
In the US, people replace tangerine peel seasoning in ice with orange peel. Some people even do not remove the orange peels but pour orange sauce directly on fried chicken, which has a sweet and sour taste.
10. Fried spring rolls
This dish is famous in the US and all over the world. Eating spring rolls is a traditional Chinese folk custom. After being introduced to the US, it has become a favorite dish of many people.
Although it is now a rustic dish, it was one of the nine most important snacks in the “Manchurian Banquet” of the Qing court.
This dish usually comes with raw vegetables and dipping sauce. Depending on preference, one can choose different ingredients.
FAQs
What’s the most popular Chinese food in America?
Wonton is the most famous Chinese food in America. It is soft and has a refreshing taste, suitable for both the elderly and children. Americans often go to Chinese restaurants to enjoy this traditional dish and holidays.
What are some popular Chinese American foods?
According to our survey, the most popular Chinese dishes in the US include Wonton, Chinese meat dumplings, sweet and sour pork, Kung Pao Chicken, Ma Po Tofu, Char siu, Chop Suey, Foo Young Eggs, Sesame Chicken, and Fried spring rolls.
What are the 4 main Chinese cuisines?
When it comes to 4 Chinese cuisines, it is impossible not to mention the cuisine of major provinces such as Sichuan, Guangdong, Shandong, and Huaiyang.
Conclusion
Here is a list of the most famous Chinese foods in the US that you should try. Many Chinese restaurants in the US serve the dishes on this list. Each has a different delicious taste and represents the local food culture.
Although the flavors in the US may be different from China, they still have the identity of a Chinese dish. To read more articles about food in this country, check back often!